Quaner: This is a Great Opportunity to Do Something SpecialThursday, 10th Jan 2019 16:23

Town new boy Collin Quaner has outlined his strengths and qualities after completing a loan move from Huddersfield through to the end of the season.

The 27-year-old striker, who joined the Terriers two years ago from Union Berlin, helped them to secure promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs, as well as helping them extend their top-flight stay for at least another season.

But he has faded from the first-team picture this term, making only two brief substitute appearances last month before being given the all-clear to join Town’s fight to climb off the bottom of the Championship and beat the drop into League One.

Quaner said: “I am athletic. I like to work and I like to run. I’m fast and powerful, and pretty much straightforward. This is what I will try to bring to the Ipswich team.

“I definitely believe my best position is through the middle. I have also played a lot of games in the past in a wide position but I definitely prefer being up top in the centre.

“It is a big part of my reason to come here that the gaffer wants to play me up top.

“Throughout my career, when I have played my best games and scored most of my goals it has been when I was playing through the middle. With my ability and the way I play it is the best position I can play in.

“I scored a lot of goals for Union Berlin, the club I left to join Huddersfield. I was playing up top in the centre there and that was supposed to be my position when I went to Huddersfield.

“But we had some injuries and the coach, David Wagner, knew I could also play wide as well and switched me out to the right.”

Many fans will see Quaner as the answer to Town’s lack of goals – just four in their last eight outings with five blanks – but the big striker insists he will not be feeling the pressure.

“For me, personally, it is not pressure but excitement,” he added. “This is an exciting time for me and I am looking forward to scoring goals and having a great time here at Ipswich. The feeling I have is more one of excitement rather than pressure.”

Asked if he was confident enough in his ability to get goals, he continued: “Definitely. I have seen things for myself and I have also spoken to some of the lads about how the gaffer has changed the way of playing since he came here.

“I have learned a lot in the short time I have been here and everything is very positive. We have some great players here and I am sure we can make something great together.

“It has been good, very good. The team has welcomed me and made it easy for me. It is always good when there is a good mood in the team and that is definitely the case. I was surprised at how positive the mood is so I am settling in well.

“I didn’t see it as a hard decision. To be honest that was not something I was focusing on. It was more about getting down here, speaking to the gaffer and getting a feeling for the club.

“It doesn’t matter about the position in the league. I see this as a great opportunity to do something special and that is what we are all aiming for.”

It was no surprise to Quaner, given his lack of first-team appearances at his parent club, to be sent out on loan.

“When you are not playing regularly at this time of the year, with the transfer window open and busy, you tend to think about what’s best for you,” he explained.

“At the end of the day we all want to be out on the pitch every Saturday, so that is why I came here.

“There were some other clubs interested in me [with Saturday's opponents Rotherham understood to be among them] but that is usually the situation. I had a very good feeling about Ipswich and that is why I decided to come here.

“There were no assurances from the gaffer. The first time I met him I told him I didn’t want to have any assurances. I know I need to earn my place in the team and I have come here to play as much as possible.

“I am not yet fully match fit but you can only get match fitness by playing matches and I have not been playing at Huddersfield. I will build up my fitness by playing games here but I’m very fit at the moment and I will soon be match fit.”

Quaner reflected on how frustrating it has been as a Huddersfield player this season, first of all with the club struggling to survive and also because he was not featuring on a regular basis.

He added: “It is always hard for a player who is not playing many games. The bad results for the club don’t make it any easier because we have played well in so many of them.

“It is hard to stay positive and remain focused but I believe they can avoid relegation.

“My time there has been a very special time in my career – the best time of my career so far.

“We went up from the Championship to the Premier League and, like I’ve said before, I have many great, great memories that I will never forget. I am very thankful for my time at Huddersfield.

“When I was playing in the second league in Germany it seemed England was quite far away.

“When it happened it was very sudden but that’s sometimes what happens in football. You never know what is going to happen but my goal was to play in England at some point in my career.

“I have improved a lot and learned a lot in the time I have been here. The experience of playing in the Championship – and especially in the Premier League – has made me a better player.

“I had 28 games in the Premier League last season and that was a big thing for me, both mentally and physically. I’m definitely a different kind of player now.”

Play Football, Lose WeightIpswich places available now. Save 50% of your registration fee by clicking here, and we'll donate £5 to Prostate Cancer UK. Read more in our blog about how it works and how 95% of members lose weight.

Photo: TWTD

Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.